Mary Gonzaga Barry was an Irish Catholic religious sister of the Sisters of Loreto who played a pivotal role in Australian education. Born in Wexford in 1834, she joined the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1853. In 1875, she led a group of sisters to Ballarat, Australia, to fulfill a request from the local bishop to provide schooling for girls. Through her leadership, she established numerous educational institutions that promoted holistic learning and empowered women to pursue diverse paths in society.